So Obama may have given Hillary a heads up on Bowe Bergdahl's swap but not Congress?

So did Obama have time to set up a lunch with Hillary Clinton to discuss the swap of five high profile terrorists for Bowe Bergdahl?  How can Obama then argue that he had to move too quickly to inform congress?

. . . President Obama met with his former secretary of State for lunch on Thursday, two days before it was announced that Bowe Bergdahl had been released from captivity in exchange for five high-profile Taliban prisoners.
They are also suspicious that Obama may have informed Clinton, the likely Democratic frontrunner for the White House in 2016.Republicans are furious that they were not told of the deal in advance, and argue that this broke U.S. law.The White House has said it will not give a read out of Obama’s lunch with Clinton, calling it a private event.
But that has only made Republicans more curious about the timing between the lunch, and the controversial prisoner swap.
“If Mrs. Clinton remains politically active, people will want to know what her advice was on the subject,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions (Ala.), a senior Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee.
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said questions about the meeting are fair game. . . .

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Huffington Post on the claim that "there is absolutely no evidence" of net benefits of guns

From Mike Weisser at the Huffington Post:

The self-satisfied folks who really believe that 'guns don't kill people, people kill people,' simply refuse to accept the fact that if you pick up a gun, point it at someone else and pull the trigger, that the result is going to be very serious injuries or loss of life. There Is no other way, including running over someone with a car, that has such a devastating effect. The NRA gets around that problem by promoting, with an almost mystical reverence, the notion of using guns for self defense. John Lott's nonsense to the contrary, there is absolutely no evidence which proves that guns save more lives than they destroy. . . .

"Absolutely no evidence which [sic] proves guns save more lives than they destroy"?  Seriously?  There are four more refereed studies that have since showed that guns on net save lives, but this is a start (see the list available here).  Why is it that people want to ignore the academic work of so many other scholars?

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At least six soldiers were killed in searches for Bergdahl after he deserted

From CNN:

The sense of pride expressed by officials of the Obama administration at the release of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl is not shared by many of those who served with him -- veterans and soldiers who call him a deserter whose "selfish act" ended up costing the lives of better men.
"I was pissed off then and I am even more so now with everything going on," said former Sgt. Matt Vierkant, a member of Bergdahl's platoon when he went missing on June 30, 2009. "Bowe Bergdahldeserted during a time of war and his fellow Americans lost their lives searching for him."
Vierkant said Bergdahl needs to not only acknowledge his actions publicly but face a military trial for desertion under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.

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White House won't disavow Susan Rice's comment that Bergdahl Served "With Honor And Distinction"

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Detroit Police Chief James Craig reiterates his support for citizens using guns for protection, even open carry in sensitive areas

The quotes here from the Detroit police chief are actually quite good.  From the Detroit News:

Police Chief James Craig on Monday reiterated his support for the Second Amendment in the wake of a National Rifle Association magazine cover story that featured the chief advocating for gun rights. 

During a one-on-one interview with The Detroit News, and a press conference outside police headquarters later Monday, Craig said he not only supports the right to bear arms, but Michigan’s Open Carry law, which allows licensed gun owners to carry their firearms in non-restricted areas, as long as they’re not concealed. 

“It’s the law, and I support the law,” he said. “The Second Amendment was written more than 200 years ago. It’s not a James Craig law. “ 

“We’ve heard instances of accidental discharges; or guns getting into the hands of children,” Craig said. “That’s terrible. But we’re talking about law-abiding, responsible citizens. ‘Responsible’ is the key word here.” . . .  

Craig said he doesn’t understand why anyone would have a problem with a police chief saying he supports the Constitution. 

“I’m pro-life,” he said. “I’m pro-safety. I support law-abiding citizens’ right to protect themselves against imminent danger.” 

Craig said responsible gun ownership was analogous to responsible driving. 

“The majority of people on the roads drive responsibly,” he said. “So if a few people drive irresponsibly, what’s the solution? Do we take away all cars?” . . .  

“Privately, I’m sure some (chiefs) will agree with me,” Craig said. “There was a study done where 15,000 line officers were polled, and they overwhelmingly supported the right to carry.” . . .

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Mass public shooting in Belgium, four dead at Brussels Jewish Museum

Muslim terrorist kills four people at the Jewish Museum in Brussels.  Despite a five year prison term for a violent crime, somehow the killer was able to obtain what is claimed to be a machine gun.  From the BBC:

Police found Mr Nemmouche had in his possession a Kalashnikov rifle and a handgun believed to have been used in the attack, the Paris prosecutor told a news conference on Sunday. . . .At the time of his arrest, authorities say he had a machine gun wrapped in the flag of the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) . . .The 29-year-old was in prison for five years in France for robbery and released in December 2012, Mr Molins said. . . . .

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Brown University recognizes that Emma Watson was safer with an armed bodyguard at graduation

From Fox News:

A Brown University rep says he is unable to answer questions about why Emma Watson had an undercover armed guard with her during graduation ceremonies.
The 24-year-old British actress best known for her role as Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" movies graduated from the Ivy League university in Providence on Sunday.
She was photographed sitting and walking next to a woman who was wearing a cap and gown. Other photographs showed the same woman without a cap and gown, with a holstered weapon and a badge.
Providence Police Chief Steven Pare says the woman is not a Providence officer. . . .

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